News Clips- October 21, 2016

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights started its 59^th Ordinary Session this week and will review draft guidelines on the rights to freedom of association and assembly, as well as conduct reviews of States parties and hold additional discussions. [IJRC: Guidelines; IJRC: Sessions]
The United Nations General Assembly recognized the 50^th anniversary of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. [UN News Centre]
The International Criminal Court convicted Jean-Pierre Bemba and four others of tampering with witnesses. [NY Times]
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called on States in the region to bring an end to poverty. [IACHR Press Release]
A report released this week from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan found that the July 23 attack in Kabul was a violation of international humanitarian law. [UN News Centre]

Human Rights Watch released a report this week on the continued crackdown in Azerbaijan on those critical of the government. [HRW]
Women in Argentina planned a protest against violence against women this week after a girl was abducted, drugged, raped, and tortured earlier in the month. [Guardian]
A British journalist with Al Jazeera was detained this week in Somalia for questioning. [Al Jazeera]
Civil society organizations and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights jointly conducted a training for advocates during the NGO Forum ahead of the 59^th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which also started this week. [ISHR]

Australia has exempted doctors and other medical personnel from a law that criminalizes disclosing information on conditions of asylum seekers and migrants in detention. [Al Jazeera]
A court in France has ruled that the closure of the migrant camp near Calais should continue because the aim of dismantling the camp is to cease inhuman treatment at the site. [Jurist]

In a case that carries the death penalty, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled this week that schizophrenia is not a mental illness because it is not permanent, rejecting Imdad Ali’s appeal. [Reprieve]
A Guantanamo prisoner, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, was released this week and sent back to Mauritania. [Washington Post]

Britain has announced that it will pardon gay and bisexual men who were convicted of homosexual activity but died before the country decriminalized homosexual conduct. [Washington Post]
A recently released report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs found that LGBT persons are refused assistance or face obstacles in receiving aid after reporting domestic violence abuse. [Guardian]